Good news for burrowing petrels and shearwaters: feral cats to be added to New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 strategy

A feral cat in New Zealand

The New Zealand Government has officially recognised feral cats as pests and will add them to the Predator Free 2050 list, which currently includes mustelids (Ferrets Stoats, Weasels), rats (Black, Norwegian and Pacific/Polynesian) and Australian Brushtail Possums.

“Conservation Minister, Tama Potaka said the inclusion of feral cats in the Predator Free 2050 goal means stronger protection for local wildlife, better tools for communities, and less impact on farmers, whānau [extended family groups] and the economy.  Feral cats are now found across Aotearoa New Zealand, from farms to forests, and they put huge pressure on native birds, bats, lizards and insects.  They also spread toxoplasmosis, which harms dolphins, affects people, and costs farmers through lost stock.”

The Minister said the addition of feral cats to the Predator Free 2050 target list will:

Support national coordination of feral cat control;
Allow Predator Free groups access to funding for projects targeting feral cats;
Boost research into effective and humane tools and technology;
Strengthen efforts to protect threatened species across the country.

Read the media release by the Department of Conservation.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 21 November 2025